


The Dress

by silversky27



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Crossdressing, Love Confessions, M/M, Maybe - Freeform, barely edited, i trust 2016 me, oh my god they were roommates, she knew grammar
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-09
Updated: 2019-12-09
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:34:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21737677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silversky27/pseuds/silversky27
Summary: Zack is back and when moving in with Cloud finds a little slip of purple fabric.
Relationships: Zack Fair/Cloud Strife
Comments: 2
Kudos: 122





	The Dress

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this in 2016 and in my attempt to finish my WIPs, this one came first. 
> 
> Tbh this was probably supposed to go further, but ehhhhh

“Cloud? What’s this?”

The aforementioned blond looked up to the voice coming from the other room. He huffed as he stood up, moving away from the many boxes of random things that he had managed to hoard. Like why did he need almost five boxes of materia? He was honestly surprised that Yuffie hadn’t raided his apartment yet.

“What did you find?” Cloud called before he turned the corner into his room. There, Zack sat on the floor wearing a shit-eating grin. Cloud paused at grin, then glanced down at what Zack was trying, and failing, to hide in his lap. The other man was trying so hard not to laugh that his face was growing red with the effort. A familiar scrap of purple fabric peeks through Zack’s fingers. Cloud felt all the blood drain from his face.

“Shit.”

~

As for Zack, Cloud’s still not really sure how he was alive. He had gone to the church in the slums, just a normal check on the spring to make sure everything was still in order. Instead of the spring, the floor had been repaired. The hardwood looked as if the geostigma healing pool had never happened. On top of that, all of the flowers were back. Cloud walked cautiously forward, the thought of finding Aerith tending to them briefly crossed his mind. But instead of Aerith, there was Zack, passed out among the flowers, looking almost exactly like he had the last time Cloud had seen him in the flesh. Just, you know, less bloody.

Cloud eventually mustered up the nerve to approach the body. Standing next to the patch of flowers looking down at the body confirmed it for him. The slight rise and fall of the chest was the unmistakable proof that the man in in the flower bed was alive. Looking down at Zack’s face filled Cloud with an unnamable emotion. Like yeah, he was glad to see him, alive on top of that, but he had accepted Zack’s death. However, he didn’t have an opportunity to sort out the emotion, as Zack’s eyes suddenly opened.

“Cloud?” Zack’s voice was barely a whisper. Cloud found he couldn’t move, frozen as Zack began to wake up, moving to sit up. He rubbed his eye, finally looking up entirely.

“Spike!” Zack’s exclamation was the only warning Cloud had before he was almost tackled to the ground.

“Zack? How?”

“I dunno! But I am!”

~

After that felt like the longest three weeks off Cloud’s life. Explaining to Tifa wasn’t the most fun thing he had ever done. Tifa was overly suspicious and Cloud wasn’t surprised. The dead don’t come back to life. They both knew that. But here Zack was.

“You sure that’s really him?” Standing behind Tifa’s bar, she questioned Cloud as he washed glasses. It was the least he could do. And to be honest, she was busy keeping a hawk like gaze on Zack as he was swarmed by Marlene and Denzel. Cloud was honestly surprised that Tifa had even let them near him, especially when she didn’t even think he was the real Zack.

“I’m pretty sure.” Cloud said, “Stranger things have happened around us.”

“But are you _sure_.” Her gaze was suddenly on him, sharp as ever.

“He has… he has scars.” Tifa’s eyes softened at that. She bit her lower lip, glaze going back to Zack. Marlene had gotten him to sit on the floor in front of where she sat and was playing with his hair while Denzel sat captivated by Zack’s tales of heroics. She huffed as she looked back at Cloud.

“I can’t tell you what to do. I mean it’s not like you’re going to listen to me anyways.” She said, giving him a knowing look that caused the tips of his ears to turn red. “But he can’t stay here. We barely have room for us.” Cloud nodded.

“I can do that. I promise I won’t go too far. I won’t do that to any of you again.” Cloud set down the glass he was cleaning. “I guess I have to go apartment hunting now.” He said. For a second Tifa looked slightly ashamed of herself until Cloud gave her a teasing smile. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll get it figured out.”

“I’m not going to kick you out right now.” Tifa huffed.

“I know.” Cloud grinned. 

~

Less than a week later Cloud was standing in his own apartment. It turns out a lot of people appreciated the whole “saving the world several times” thing.

“Hey.” Zack said suddenly. Cloud looked up to see Zack carrying in boxes. “Y’know… I feel kinda bad about this. It’s like I got you kicked out of your own house.” Zack set the boxes down and rubbed the back of his neck.

“No, it’s okay. Everything is sorted out. We’ll be fine.” Cloud said with a small smile. Cloud watched as the tips of Zack’s ears turned red.

“I- I uh… Boxes! Gotta get the rest of the boxes!” Zack made a swift turn back out of the door. Cloud watched as he went, grin growing bigger. Zack hadn’t really changed in the years that they had missed together.

~

And now Cloud was regretting finding Zack three weeks ago.

“Where did you find that?” Cloud was positive that that… that _thing_ had been lost years ago. Zack’s grin grew bigger as he finally unveiled the dress, along with the other items that had been in the box. Shit. Why are those still there too?

“Does it still fit?” Zack the dress up to Cloud. “It looks like a yes.” He smirked.

“Put that back.” Cloud said swatting at the dress. He felt his face growing hotter. The dress didn’t exactly have the best memories attached to it and on top of everything else, Zack had been the one to find it. Cloud couldn’t deny it. Ever since Zack’s sudden revival had also revived the childish crush that Cloud had had on the other man since he met him. The memory loss, crushing guilt, and then acceptance of the other man’s death had kept the crush buried deep. But now… Now Zack was back. Zack who seemed to get flustered whenever Cloud smiled. Zack who was suddenly close enough, Zack who was suddenly on his level. He couldn’t do it though. He couldn’t take advantage of the situation. He was really the only person Zack knew at the moment.

“Why do you even have this?” Zack asked, trying to stop his laughter

Cloud fidgeted for a second before sighing. “… I had to get into Don Corneo’s mansion, and he has a no male policy. I did what I needed to do.”

“Did you need the lingerie though?” Zack asked, digging the pick scrap of fabric out of the box. Cloud felt like he was going to pass out. He had forgotten about those entirely. He wondered briefly if making an attempt to get them away from Zack would help at all.

Suddenly, Zack’s face flushed.

“What’s wrong?” Cloud took a hesitant step forward. As he did, Zack’s hand clenched slightly. He looked up in a panic when he realized what he had done, just to meet Cloud’s own panicked look.

“Um… Would… Would you…?” Zack could hardly get his words out, each one harder that the last. “Wear it? For me? I mean?”

It a moment for Cloud realize what Zack had proposed. It also looked like it took a moment for Zack to realize what he said. When he did, he immediately began to sputter.

“I am so sorry. I can leave. I fucked up I fucked real bad I am so fucking sorr-“ Zack flinched, halting his flow of words as Cloud stepped forward. Cloud reached up jerking Zack down into a kiss.

Zack didn’t move, frozen in shock. Cloud began to pull away, apologies on the tip of his tongue. Suddenly Zack surged forward, stealing the apologies away. Cloud melted, sagging into Zack’s chest, before pulling back slightly leaving only a sliver of space between them.

“Was… That okay?” Zack’s voice was husky

“Yeah.”

“Good.” Zack gave a breathy laugh, causing Cloud to smile gently. “Do you know how long I’ve wanted to do that?”

“Really? How long?” Cloud glanced up at him. Zack stepped back, sitting on the bed and pulling Cloud forward to stand between his legs.

“Honestly? Technically before it was legal. You have no idea how much restraint I used around you.” Zack rubbed the back of his neck, entire face flushing. Cloud’s face grew just as red, before he leaned down and pressed a light kiss to Zack’s forehead.

“You’re not the only one who felt that way.” The look on Zack’s face was priceless, like he had seen the sun for the first time. He wrapped his arms around Cloud’s waist and buried his face into Cloud’s stomach.

“I must have died and gone to heaven, Spike.” Zack snorted, causing Cloud to lightly slap him on the side of the head. After a minute of peaceful silence, Cloud fidgeted slightly, causing Zack to look up at him. “What’s wrong?” Zack asked

“I… can wear it…” Cloud mumbled, looking away.

“What?” Zack leaned back, gently touching Clouds face to make him look at him.

“I can wear… the dress… and stuff… if you want.” Cloud honestly wanted to die in that moment. Zack grinned wolfishly at him, leaning forward again and Cloud shivered as Zack gently bit his ear.

“I always thought you’d look pretty in pink.” Zack basically purred out. Cloud felt his eyes slide shut as he followed Zack’s lead. He hated the dress, but if this was the result? He could live with it.


End file.
